Botanical classification: Prunus persica. 
The new peach tree (hereinafter referred to as the xe2x80x98P.F. 14 New Jerseyxe2x80x99 peach tree) was originated by Paul Friday in the experimental orchard, which is maintained for the purposes of breeding peach trees, at Paul Friday Farms Inc., located in Coloma, Mich. Coloma is located in the southwest section of Michigan.
In an ongoing mass selection breeding program, superior seedlings of unrecorded parentage are maintained as seed sources for the production of seeds which are collected and planted in mass. The seed producing parent trees are maintained solely as proprietary trees for breeding purposes and have not been released from the experimental orchard, where such trees can be evaluated for their adaptability to local and regional growing conditions. Seeds resulting from open pollination of the trees in the experimental orchard are regularly planted in mass to produce new populations of seedlings which are cultured and monitored to maturity. Trees with superior attributes are retained for further observation and testing, and contribute seeds to advancing generations of new populations of seedlings.
The tree of this application, xe2x80x98P.F. 14 New Jerseyxe2x80x99, was a single plant from one such a seedling population, and was based on the numerous superior genetic attributes of this tree which are described in the botanical description to follow. While not comprehensive, the details of the botanical description to follow are believed to be a reasonably complete botanical description of the tree of this disclosure.
The new and distinct variety of peach tree was asexually propagated by budding as performed in the experimental orchard of Paul Friday Farms Inc., located in Coloma, Mich. The asexual propagation demonstrates that such reproduction of the characteristics of the tree are consistent and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagation.
The new and distinct variety of peach tree is of moderate upright growth and a regular and productive bearer of peaches. The blossoms are characterized by being contracted or partially spread when in full bloom.
The blossoms of the present peach tree at full bloom may be characterized as being non-showy. More specifically, the blossoms of the present peach tree have angularly spaced five-blossom petals projecting upwardly at an inclined angle so as to form a blossom having a diameter of about xc2xexe2x80x3 measured across the blossoms. The typical non-showy blossom as exemplified for example by the xe2x80x98Redhavenxe2x80x99 (unpatented) peach has five (5) radially extending and angularly spaced petals projecting upwardly at a relatively steep inclined angle so that the diametrical measurement across the outer edges of the petals is about xc2xdxe2x80x3.
The flesh of the fruit of the present peach tree is firm and is yellow with a minimum of red around the pit.
The skin is smooth and is of dark red color over almost 100 percent (100%) of its surface at full maturity. The fruit is large with an average diameter of 2xc2xexe2x80x3.
It is noteworthy that the fruit of this tree is further characterized as having smooth, gently rounded cheeks at the blossom end of the fruit. These protrude to form fruit surfaces higher than the blossom point. This characteristic reduces fruit damage in harvest, shipping and storage, by reducing the exposure of and damage to the apical blossom protrusion in handling. Thus breaching of the skin and formation of an entry point for microorganisms which cause rot in many other commercially important peach varieties harvested in the same production period is avoided in this fruit.
The fruit has a firm flesh and may be described as resilient to the extent that the flesh is yieldable and restorable to its original state when subjected to impact forces, which may cause permanent deformities in peaches of the commercial varieties. The firmness of the fruit facilitates handling and packaging of the peaches without damaging the same for shipment. This results in less spoilage and also increases the shelf life.